Posted 9:23 am Friday, February 01, 2013
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Manhunt under way for Kaufman County shooters
KAUFMAN — A statewide manhunt was under way Thursday for two people who beat and killed a Kaufman County assistant district attorney, law enforcement officials said.
Mark Hasse, 57, died in a Kaufman hospital after he was beaten and shot just before 9 a.m. Thursday in the Kaufman County Courthouse annex parking lot, Kaufman County sheriff's spokeswoman Patricia Laney said.
There was a Dallas County District Attorney's Office report of an arrest in the case, but Ms. Laney said none had been made.
“No arrest has been made,” she said. “It was misinformation.”
The assailants were described as two people wearing black tactical gear, and Hasse was beaten and shot several times. The killers possibly were riding in an older model grey or brown Ford Taurus.
Hasse, a 1981 Southern Methodist University graduate, had been licensed to practice law since 1982 and a Kaufman County District Attorney's Office employee since July 2010.
Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, at a news conference Thursday, said, “(Hasse) had an absolute passion for putting away bad guys. He was a great guy and the premier story teller of the office.”
Hasse was a pilot who several years ago crashed into a mountain side and was in a coma for 90 days but survived, McLelland said.
There was a Dallas County District Attorney's Office report of an arrest in the case, but Ms. Laney said none had been made.
“No arrest has been made,” she said. “It was misinformation.”
The assailants were described as two people wearing black tactical gear, and Hasse was beaten and shot several times. The killers possibly were riding in an older model grey or brown Ford Taurus.
Hasse, a 1981 Southern Methodist University graduate, had been licensed to practice law since 1982 and a Kaufman County District Attorney's Office employee since July 2010.
Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, at a news conference Thursday, said, “(Hasse) had an absolute passion for putting away bad guys. He was a great guy and the premier story teller of the office.”
Hasse was a pilot who several years ago crashed into a mountain side and was in a coma for 90 days but survived, McLelland said.
“You wouldn't expect someone to survive that, only to have something like this happen,” he said.
The killing came the same day the U.S. Department of Justice, in a news release, thanked the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office for its help in investigating the Aryan Brotherhood.
Authorities would not say if there was a connection between the Aryan Brotherhood and Thursday's killing.
“We are going to investigate this until we find the persons responsible,” Kaufman Police Chief Chris Aulbaugh said.
Aulbaugh said a news conference was scheduled for 10 a.m. today unless new information in the case surfaced.
Anyone with information in the killing is asked to contact the Kaufman County Crime Stoppers, which is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Contact Crime Stoppers at 877-TIPSKCC (847-7522) or send a text to 274637.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The killing came the same day the U.S. Department of Justice, in a news release, thanked the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office for its help in investigating the Aryan Brotherhood.
Authorities would not say if there was a connection between the Aryan Brotherhood and Thursday's killing.
“We are going to investigate this until we find the persons responsible,” Kaufman Police Chief Chris Aulbaugh said.
Aulbaugh said a news conference was scheduled for 10 a.m. today unless new information in the case surfaced.
Anyone with information in the killing is asked to contact the Kaufman County Crime Stoppers, which is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Contact Crime Stoppers at 877-TIPSKCC (847-7522) or send a text to 274637.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
